my life with the crusts cut off

Things I collect

I display all of the traits of a collector: I adore nostalgia and enjoy hearing and seeing other people’s collections, and I love the thought of scouring op-shops on the hunt for that one special item – one man’s trash is another one’s treasure and all that. I love the drive, the quest and the unwavering obsession of it all: the thought that the desired item is out there somewhere, maybe in the next record store, or garage sale, or under that pile in the council clean-up.

It is a combination of things that have halted my inner scavenger. With two small children I am time poor (not to mention cash poor), space poor and I have a gorgeous husband whose idea of cleaning is to throw out anything that is not bolted down (Note: This is not a complaint. I am the opposite so if it was left up to me we’d be on ‘Hoarders’ by now).

I still marvel at the collections of others. To me they represent devotion – an unfaltering love and dedication to a cause. I love running my fingers along the spines gloriously smelly collections of books, and I am in awe of the organization (and slight obsessiveness) of my brother’s Lego figurine sets. One of my best friends had (and still has, I believe) a truly awesome badge collection I was completely jealous of as a teenager.

My favorite collection ever has to of been my grandmother’s. She had the most amazing collection of decorative spoons, I loved to pour over them after school. I’d go through the boxes, laying them out in rows along her big floral quilt. I could spend hours arranging them by size, categorizing them by style or age, or just pull out my favorites. I loved the ones with moving parts – the beauty and craftsmanship of the little miniatures, but my absolute favorite was the tiny version of the Big Pineapple. What is cooler than a teeny pineapple on a teeny spoon?

If time, space and opportunity were no object, I’d love to collect Blythe dolls, or nesting dolls, or brooches, and maybe one day I will. Perhaps in another life if I had a daughter, rather than sons, I might have collected them for, and with her. Maybe as my boys get older we will find, or develop a shared obsession, or one day I might be blessed with a grand-daughter who will pour over my trinkets with me.This post was written as part of a blogging challenge devised by the brilliant Polka Dots & Frocks for the Blog With Pip alumni. This cue “Things I collect” is hosted by Leaf and Petal blog. To read the other amazing entries, visit here.